Ladder step platform



March 18, 1958' JOHNSON 2,827,336

LADDER STEP PLATFORM Filed June 20, 1956 '3 Sheets-Sheet 1 11' NVENTUl-V P055 H. umwsa/v ATTURNEY March 18, 1958 R. H. JOHNSON 2,827,336

' LADDER STEP PLATFORM Filed June 20, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Haws INVENTUR'Y Pass 6. do/m/so/v WQTM A 7' TUPNE y United States Patent C LADDER STEPPLATFORM Ross H. Johnson, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application June 20, 1956, Serial No. 592,669

8 Claims. (Cl..30.431.'5)

.This invention relates toe-a device for demountablyat- :taching to ladders both of' the fiat or roundrungtypes.

The invention has for its primary purpose'the provision of a structure which may be readily adapted to any ladder regardless of its width and shape of rungs .and secured to the ladder .against accidental displacement whereby a platform is presented on which may be received the full length of the users feet.

One of the serious problems in .using ladders either of the straight type or the stepladder type is the effect of the strain on the user in using the ladderwhereby the 'foot'has a very limited area of bearing on the rung. Normally the user will adjust his foot across the rung .so that :?the rung will fit immediately .under the instep of the foot .to have the heel of the shoe hem against the front side of the rung. This is particularly true where the straight, round section rung is employed. In respect to the ordinary fiat steps as employed in stepladders, these steps necessarily are limited in transverse widths, that is in a fore .and aft direction to but a few inches so that the user either selects the position of his foot to have the instep of the foot bearing directly on the step or will have his foot so placed as to have the ball only of the foot thereon.

In any one of these events, there is a severe leg strain set up generally including backache and other associated discomfort where the worker has to remain on the ladder for any appreciable length of time. Also in normal ladder usage, the worker has to hold onto the ladder .with one handso that he only has one hand available .volving the invention on one ladder, one above the ,other on different rungs or steps.

By .use of the structure embodying this invention, danger of slipping or falling because of insecure footing on the heretofore presented round or narrow rung ladders, is avoided, and the more weight put on the structure, the more secure it becomes. It may be securely located over any ladder rung, regardless of the width of theladder within limits such as from about /2 inches to 20 inches spacing.

Also the ladder platform involving the invention adds further safety inv that it eliminates the. loading of the rung at its centermost position, by the foot of the worker, and

distributes the weight of the worker uniformly across the rung jto theiladder rails so that breakage of rungs is avoided.

Referenceismade to my prior application for U. 'S.

1Letters'Patent, Serial-No. 480,7 60, filed January 10,1955, now Patent No. j"2,'805;104.'.f

fhese andmany otherobjects and advantages-of the 2,827,336 Patented Mar. 18, 1958 ice zinventionwill .becomeapparent to those versed inthe art in the following description of the invention as illustrated in the best form now known to me in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. :1 is aview in top plan of a structure embodying theinventionas applied to a ladder and with portions broken away;

Fig. 2 is .a view in front elevation .and partial section;

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section on the line 3-3 in Fig.2;

.Fig. 4 is a. view in side elevation from the left side of the ladder;

Fig. .5 .isaview in'section on an enlarged scalexon. the line 5+5 in. Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is.a view :in vertical section similar to that shown in Fig-.5 with-the structure applied to a fiat step ladder;

Fig. 7 is a view in section on an enlarged scale on the line7+7 inFig. 4; and

fig. -8 is a view in bottom plan and partial section.

The :stepplatform is made in two panels 10 and 11 fitted-together in a telescoping manner so as to be adjustablesas to length between ladder rails 12 and 14, Fig. '1.

The top panel 11 is provided with downturned legs 15-and 1-6,Fig. 5, each of these legs having inturned feet 17 andfls. The paneltll} slides under the panel 11 and has the downturned legs 19 and 20 with the .respective inturned .feet .21 and 22, the lengths of these legs 19 and :20 .beingsuch that the legs may fit slidingly along the opposing sides of the legs 15 and 16 and the feet21 and 22 ride over the top sides of the feet 17 and'18.

As a'further means for aligning the panels 10 and 111 and also to reinforce those panels, the upper panel 11 has beads 23 and 24 longitudinally thereof in spaced apart relation, and the panel It) has beads 25 and '26 fitting upwardly into the beads 23 and '24.

#Panel- 10 has an upturned end flange 27 which is secured to a railv plate 28 by any suitable means, such as byspot welding. Likewise the other panel 11 has .an end, upturned flange 29 which is secured to a ladder rail plate 30 by similar means such as by spot welding. Each of these plates :28 and 30 has respectively arms 31 and 32 turned substantially at right angles to the plates and in opposite direction, one from another. Each of the rail plates 28 and :30 further is notched out as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5 by the notch 33 entering from the lower edges of the respective plates by a front arcuate margin' 34 following the general contour of the ladder rung 36. The notch 33 extends rearwardly from the upper end portion of this arcuate margin 34 substantially horizontally under the panel 10 and thence curves around and downwardly into a straight marginal edge portion 35. The distance between the points 37 and 38 is made such that the rung 36 may be received freely between those points 37 and 38 and the plates 28 and 30 are then pushed rearwardly of the ladder to have the rung 36 seated against the arcuate margin 34.

To insure that the platform remains in place across the ladder rung 36, there is provided a ladder rail engaging device applied to each of the plates 28 and-3i). These devices will be made in a left and right handed manner, so therefore the description of one in reference to the plate 30 is sufiicient to describe the same structure-applied to the plate 28. Referring to Fig. 4, there is a channel member 39 fixed in a diagonal manner to the outside of the plate 30 with legs 40 and 41 of the channel projecting outwardly from the plate. The member 39 is positioned on the member 30 tohave its lowerendportion nearer the'ladder'rail-than isthe upper portionyas inparallel to the arm 32 when the opposite edge 44 rides on leg 41 of the channel member 39. .That is, the,

wedge member 42'is generally triangular in shape with the apex thereof turned downwardly so that the edge poris formed of a generally flat plate" portion 45 with the legs or edges 43 and 44 turned outwardlyitherefrom; The

l plate 45 is providedwith a slot 46 therethrough parallel to the. edge 44, and a r'ivet 47 is passed through theslot 46 by its shank to be fixed through the plate-30. The the limitations which may imposed by the following i rivet 47 thus jconfin'es the member 42 totheslidingaction along-the leg 41.

A lever 48 is rockably on the channel rrierrlberi.-

l 39 and is pivoted by meansof a" rivet 49 extending through the lever 48, the channel member 39, and the'plate .30 in 1 the present construction; The portion'iofithellever 48 surrounding the rivet 49 is enIargedAtofOrm a cam 50, a

'leg 41'to'be in the path; of the wedge member leg 44. g g That is, by rocking the ileverin the direction of-the arresting across said step; an arm extending from the front row, Fig. 4, to its dash line position substantiallytparallel with the member 39, the cam 50 is entirely removed from contact with the leg 44, and rocking'the lever 48 in a reverse direction brings the cam compressibly against the leg 44 tending to retain the member 42 against travel in each instance a slide member carried by said plate and along the leg 41, the rivet 47 limiting travel away from that leg 41 under pressure of the cami50.

The structure thus far described is appliedto a ladder of the straight type with the rungs 36 by placing the two on its free end, herein shown in the form of a nut 63. The purpose of this bolt is to prevent the separation of the panel 10 from the panel 11 in their extreme extended positions one in relation to the other.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the form as now best known to me, in minute detail, it is obvious that structural changes may be'made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond claims. t

Iclaimzs at,

1. For a ladder having side rails and steps interconnecting the rails at intervals therealong, a platform detachably 5 mounted over a step comprising a pair of panels one telescoping over the other and providing afoot receiving area, said panels extending from rail to rail over said step) a 'plate'fixed to 'an outermost end of each' of said panels extending fore and aft alongithe side rails and end of each of said plates and over the front sides of said rails; and means mounted on said plates back of said rails releasably bearing thereagainst and urging said arms toward the front sides of the rails, said means comprising a shiftable wedge, member between said slide member and said rail. I:

i 2. Thestructure of claim lin which there is a cam member engaging with said wedge member retaining it panels 10 and 11 over the topsidetof the rung and then in position bearing against the rail.

pullingtapart those panels until the .plates 28 and 30 bear against the'inner sides of the rails :12 and 14, the arms 31 and 32 being on the front sidesofthe rails 12 and 14. Then the lever 48 is rocked so that the wedge member '42 43 to come into contact with the rear side of the rails 12 and 14 in each instance, and then the lever 48 isrocked V a ladder when in use.

upwardly to the solid line position in each instance, as indicated in Fig. 4, whereupon the platform'consisting of the two panels 10 and 11 is securely retained in position; and substantially horizontally depending on the uangles of inclination, of course, of the rails '12 and 14,

the wedge member 42 beingtso designed in conjunction withthe ar'ms.31 and 32 to give the horizontal position of the panels 10 and 11 for the normal inclination of the While it has beenindicated that these armsi31 and 32 may be bronghttagainst the front sides of the ladder rails 12 and 14, there is provided for use primarily on fiat steps 5 of ladders'a pair'of retainer members 52 and 53 to fit respectively under the arms 31 and 32 and extend downwardly therefrom with inturned feet 54 and 55 to engage respectively under the flat step 56, Fig. 6; As istnoted in this view, the plates 28 and 30 will rest across the topside of the step 56 and the members 54 and 55 will engage ond screw-threaded stud 58 spaced apart that distance which may be selectively entered through holes'59 provided along the arms 31 and 32, Fig. 2.. The members 52 and 53 are then secured by means of a .wing nut r screw-threadedly engaging the stud 58 in each case. The

purpose of having a series ofholes 59 through these arms 6 i 31 and 32 is'to permit the members 52 and 53 to be ad justed longitudinally thereof so as to bring the members 54 and 55 snugly upagainst the underside of the step 56 so asto prevent rocking of the platform, regardless of the thickness of the step 56. a a

Referring to Fig. ,8, the panel 10 is provided with a re-' inforcingmember fil'extending. across its underside adjacent the free end of the panel. A bolt 62 is secured by one end to the plate 30 r and extends freely slidably through the reinfo rcingsmember. 61,..sandcarries. a stop V3. 'The structure of'claim 1 in which there is means s carried by said' plate in each instance engaging about said step. e

4.'The structure. of claim 3 in which said step is flat t may drop downwardly along the leg 41 to allow the side 35 and said means comprises a bar interposed between each ofEsaid arms and the forward sides of said'rails, there is, a'foot oneach of said bars turned rearwardly along the a full foot receiving platform mountedover the step and extending rearwardly therefrom 'in cantilever manner, comprising a pair of side'plates; a platform extending be- 0 tween and fixed by end portions to said side plates, and

having approximately a forehand aft length sufiicient to receive both the heel and toe of a worker, said platform vertically positioning said plates; an arm extending'substantially at right angles from the front end of each of said plates and extending across the front sides of said,

rails; a slide member carried on each of said plates back of said rails and sloping upwardly and rearwardly from therails; a wedge member having an edge portion slidingly bearinggon said slide member and a second edge portion substantially parallel to said plate arms; said wedge member having a slot therethrough parallel to said slide member; and a pin extending through said slot and fixedtto "said plate retaining the wedge member in sliding relation with said slide member. V

6. The structure of'claim 5 in which there is a cam member rockably carried by each of said plates adjacent said wedge member first edge portion, and a lever fixed to the cam member for rocking the cam into engagement with the wedge member holding it against travel away a from the ladder rail.

a full foot receiving platform mounted over the step and extending rearwardly therefrom in cantilever manner,

,"comprising a pair of sidelplatesj a platform secured by end portions to said side plates disposing the plates in sub- ,stantially vertical positions; an arm extending substantial- 7. The structure of claim 5 in which said step is round,

ly at right angles from the front end of each of said plates References Cited in the file of this patent extending across the front sides of said rails; a slide mem- UNITED STATES PATENTS ber carried on each of said plates back of said rails and 310 218 Norton Jan 6 1885 sloping upwardly and rearwardly from the rails; a wedge 2 237216 Dubrenil' 1941 member having an edge portion slidingly bearing on said 5 2444096 Faust 1948 slide member and a second edge portion substantially McGiH 1952 parallel to said plates arm; and means slidingly retaining EIG PATENTS said Wedge member along said slide member.

487,701 Canada Nov. 4, 1952 

